On September 27, 2009, I met Fall Out Boy for the first time. It was their Tampa show on Blink-182’s reunion tour, and while it wasn’t my first FOB concert, it certainly was the more memorable. I’d applied early on Overcast Kids for the meet-and-greet, and there it was, about two weeks before the show on their announcements page: the list of kids who’d get to meet my idols and heroes, with my name right smack in the middle. I cried. A lot.

So, concert day came, and I arrived to the venue early like the email told me. Went to the ticket window to get my wristband, got my bag checked out by security, and stood over by the group of lucky OCKs just like me. After an agonizing wait, we were led to an area with a table, hearts pounding. And then they walked through. Despite my nerve-induced butterflies, I had some chit-chat with Patrick about the then-unreleased Moustachette as he and the others signed my Take This To Your Grave CD. And then we all lined up for pictures, and Patrick recognized my hat (I knew choosing that one was a good idea). Picture taken, and I hugged him (after asking) and Pete (last in the line and I didn’t ask…one of my more awkward life moments).

Looking at this picture, reliving that moment, I’ve never been more sure or hopeful regarding their return. It’s going to happen; I can feel it.

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY:

Skyway Avenue // We The Kings

On February 13 (or maybe 14th??), 2009, I went to my first real concert ever (I say ‘real’ because I don’t think The Beach Boys should count). The lineup was great: We The Kings headlining, with The Maine, The Cab, Versaemerge and I think There For Tomorrow supporting. Anyway, it was my friend’s idea to go because she was infatuated with John O’Callaghan at the time (we were, like, thirteen, so it was okay to see a band just because you liked the lead singer) and she begged me to go with her because I had three We The Kings songs on my iPod (Check Yes Juliet, Secret Valentine and this). Anyway, her mom picked us up a little early from school and we drove two and a half hours to Harrisonburg and they were playing on a stage in this skate rink and there weren’t that many people there but wow we had an amazing time. The first three bands were surprisingly great (plus we got to see The Cab with all the original members) and The Maine was having sound issues but it was in the days when they wore matching outfits so that made up for it. Anyway, this was the last song We The Kings played and always makes me think back to the night when I really got into music. 

June 7, 2011. By far the best day of my life. I have been a huge fan of Panic! since the very beginning and I credit them for helping me get out of my depression and I credit them for me still being here today. Meeting them after loving them for almost 6 years (at the time) was a dream come true. They are all sweethearts. I wish I could have met Ryan and Jon but you can’t change what happened in the past. I am so very grateful that I met Dallon, Ian, Brendon, and Spencer and I just don’t know what I would be doing today if it wasn’t for them. They got me into music and they showed me that lufe is worth living for. Meeting them was a dream come true and their concert was hands down the best concert I have ever been to.

So this photo was taken a long time ago. It was when I saw Paramore at Wembley Arena on 18th December 2009 with Now Now, Paper Route and You Me At Six. This was the first concert where I was standing and I was seeing my favourite band for the first time. This concert is special to me because it’s Paramore and I love them so much, I was spending time with my dad and it was my Christmas present. They also played My Heart which is my favourite song. I went along with my dad because he got into them (I played Paramore so much around my house that he got hooked onto their songs and knew the lyrics) and he still loves them now.

I chose this photo because it’s of my favourite member Jeremy. He winked at me during Looking Up and that just made my night. Also because I had pushed and shoved my way to the front, been in about 5 mosh pits (the first time for me) just so that I could get a glimpse at my favourite band. And essentially going to this show had made me fall in love with music and really pushed my passion for it. After that night I essentially wanted to experience it all again and again. How everyone jumps together to the happy songs, sways for the sad ones and head bangs to anything else. How you can feel so connected with the band who are up on stage and the people around you because they are all there for the same reason. And how for that period of time, nothing else matters apart from the music, the band and just having fun. Another thing is that I rarely get to spend time with my dad because he goes to work full time and sometimes on the weekends as well. So we decided that if there was a band that we both liked, we would go see them to spend some quality together. This show started that tradition and we have continued it since then.

The surprise of the night was when a Josh and Hayley got a guy up on stage along with his girlfriend. The guy proposed on stage to her in front of everyone. It was the most romantic thing ever and Paramore dedicated the song The Only Exception to the couple and that showed me how no matter how big the band get, they will always try and find ways to connect with their fans and make time for them.

Someone threw a tampon onstage at The Maine’s Concert in Tempe, Arizona in January. John O’Callaghan, the lead singer, was so cool and turned it into one of the most hilarious moments of my life. That was my favorite concert experience.

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I’ve been to a lot of concerts, but this was definitely the best show and possibly the best day of my life. The only bad thing about it was I could only bring my old point and shoot with me, so pictures aren’t very good.

Fall Out Boy has been my favorite band since I first heard them about 6 years ago (and I really regret never seeing the whole band live) but when Patrick Stump released his solo album, I loved it maybe even more than I loved FOB. He had always been my favorite FOB member and favorite overall musician. He was my idol and I was so ecstatic to see him live. I almost didn’t get to go due to transportation problems, but we ended up solving them by getting a damn limo to Philadelphia, which was amazing in itself. The concert was of course, incredible, and the whole night was just fantastic. The girl who sang the opening (whose name escapes me) even made cookies for everyone and gave them out at the beginning of the concert. Because Patrick is the sweetest guy ever, he came down off stage after the show and met all the fans. Being able to meet him and tell him how much he inspires me was the greatest experience.

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This is a picture I took when I went to Warped Tour for the first time back in 2008. I think I was something like 15. My friends and I managed to squirm our way up front (a skill that I have honed over the years) for Cobra Starship’s set. My little 15 year old self couldn’t handle the excitement of it all. I wanted to explode I was so happy.

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Halloween, 2011. This picture is from the Panic! At The Disco/Patrick Stump/Foxy Shazam Halloween show at 9:30 Club. It was one of the best nights of my life and definitely a memorable Halloween. So many things changed for me. I got to meet Patrick Stump, one of my heroes and I hugged him and got to thank him for everything he’s done for me. I was practically in tears and he seemed genuinely flattered. I also learned something new about myself that night. I went to see P!atd because I love their music, but this tour was in support of Vices & Virtues. I hadn’t been a big fan of the album, just a couple of the singles. But I had really only listened to a couple songs on it…. the singles. When they came out and started playing, my whole perspective on the songs changed. Seeing them play transformed all the songs into amazing tracks. Especially Let’s Kill Tonight. When I was at home, listening it on my computer I wasn’t feeling the vibe and it didn’t have the pizzazz I had hoped for. Live, it was translated into a killer song and there was a really fun mosh pit next to me. (It’s now one of my favorite songs by them. Ever.) Some guy in a penguin suit crowdsurfed up to the front, ran back into the crowd to mosh, and do it all over again several times. After that night, Vices & Virtues became a standout album of the year for me. It was one of my favorite concerts and just a strangely humbling experience that I’m so grateful I was able to have.

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Backyard Barbeque is a festival that a local radio station puts on each year in Saint Petersburg, Florida. In 2012 I was in my first wall of death during The Used’s set, saw a multitude of awesome bands, and began dating the lovely man pictured above. This was the perfect start to our relationship, and we’ve continued attending concerts together since. 

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A few weeks ago, I saw Matt&Kim for the second time, but this was the first time I had general admission, so I was much closer. It was easily the craziest show I’ve ever been to, and I can’t wait to see them again!

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